| Remembering Ronnie |
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| Thursday, 28 August 2008 | |
 EVEN after death, Ronnie Drew could still pull a crowd.Thousands of mourners arrived at the funeral mass to pay final tribute to the legendary Dubliner as he was laid to rest last Tuesday (August 19). The 73-year old iconic folk star died at St Vincent’s Hospital last Saturday week following a long illness. Among the grieving crowd were several members of the Irish music and showbusiness industries including Phil Coulter, Mary Coughlan, Louis Stewart, as well as fellow Dubliners’ band mates John Sheehan and Barney McKenna. Taoiseach Brian Cowen led the tributes pouring in from across the country for the singer. “Ronnie Drew was an iconic figure in Irish music over the last five decades,” he said. “I met him, and admired his music, his unique singing voice was loved by so many people. He bore his illness with bravery and will be sadly missed.” Fellow Dubliner John Sheehan described Ronnie as an absolutely unique character. “He had a wonderful sense of humour, very sharp wit, a great man to put down a heckler in the audience,” he said, “It's been a privilege and a great pleasure to work with the man over all those years.” Ronnie’s infamous sense of humour never faded, even as he struggled against illness, according to Professor John Crown, the specialist who treated him. “Ronnie was a great source of humour and good cheer to other patients on the unit,” he said. Born in Dun Laoghaire in September 1934, Ronnie Drew quickly developed a passion for music. After emigrating to Spain in the 1950s, he learned to play flamenco guitar while teaching English. Upon his return to Ireland, he began his stage career at the Gate Theatre. After honing his talents on stage, he founded the Ronnie Drew Group in 1962, with fellow Irish music legends Luke Kelly, Ciaran Bourke and Barney McKenna. The Ronnie Drew Group would later become known as The Dubliners. While Kelly was known as the group’s balladeer, it was Ronnie’s rough, gravelly vocals that became an instantly recognisable signature sound for both himself and the band’s rebel-rousing energetic songs. The group performed regularly in the back room of O’Donoghue’s Pub on Baggot Street, and quickly rose to become one of the biggest bands in Irish folk history. Their single, ‘Seven Drunken Nights’, shot into the UK Top 10 in 1967, with Ronnie and the group even appearing on Top Of The Pops. Ronnie left The Dubliners in 1974 in order to spend more time with his family, but could not restrain his love for music, returning five years later. In 1995, Ronnie left The Dubliners for good, and pursued a widely acclaimed solo career. He also appeared again on Top Of The Pops, this time with Shane McGowan and the Pogues, who performed with Ronnie on their single ‘The Irish Rover’. For the 40th anniversary of The Dubliners in 2002, Ronnie temporarily reunited with the group and fellow ex-band mate Jim McCann for a one-off tour. The final years of the singer’s life were marred by his declining health. In 2006, he was diagnosed with throat cancer and was admitted to St Vincent’s Hospital for treatment. Ronnie received another devastating blow in June last year, when Deirdre Drew, his wife of over 40 years, passed away just one day before he was due to return to the stage after his battle with cancer, which had stripped him of his hair and trademark beard. In February, top Irish music stars came together to honour the singer in ‘The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew’, including members of U2, Kila, Christy Moore, Shane McGowan and Bob Geldof, as well as The Dubliners and The Chieftians. Released as a single, Ronnie, who was unable to partake due to his health, requested that proceeds from the song went to the Irish Cancer Society. As well as an array of famous Irish followers, Ronnie had also gained popularity among internationally renowned musicians including Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Jimi Hendrix, who were all self-proclaimed Dubliners’ fans. Ronnie is survived by his son, daughter and five grandchildren. |
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I have no sympathy for him. If he wants to own a dog, ...
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Developed by Kevin Flynn